480 



Female. Similar to the male. 



The winter plumuge, judging from the specimens before us } does not differ from the summer dress. 



In Europe the Marbled Duck is only found in the extreme south, along the shores of the Medi- 

 terranean, throughout Algeria, and ranging as far east as Scinde, where, as below mentioned, it 

 has lately been obtained by Mr. Allan Hume. It has only recently been discovered that it 

 visits Spain regularly during the summer season ; but it has now been found breeding there. 



To our friend Major Irby, the fortunate discoverer of the eggs of this species in the last- 

 named country, we are greatly indebted for the following excellent notes : — " In Andalucia this 

 species is a summer migrant, arriving from March to May. I have heard of three having been 

 killed late in February ; but I myself first noticed it on the 23rd of March. They are tolerably 

 numerous on the marismas and other suitable localities, where they remain to breed, leaving us 

 again in September. I never saw any or heard of their occurrence here except between the dates 

 above given. In 1871 I had two nests, with the eggs, brought to me, the female having been, 

 in both cases, shot off the nest. Both these nests were found in the same small, circular, isolated 

 patch of short spiky rushes, not more than ten feet in diameter, and surrounded by dried mud. 

 I myself went to inspect the place, which is in that part of the marismas near the Coto del Eey, 

 called Las Carnicerias, so termed because in former years the wolves used to kill the sheep 

 there. The nests were formed of small broken bits of dried rushes mixed with a large quantity 

 of down. One nest was taken on the 30th of May, and contained ten fresh eggs, and in 

 the female was another ready for exclusion, which was broken in the fall of the bird. The 

 other nest contained eleven fresh eggs, and was taken on the 7th of June. All these eggs 

 are exactly similar in size and colour. In shape they are inclined to be elliptical, and are 

 in colour yellowish white or buff. 



"I have seen small nights of these Ducks or, I would rather call them, Teal, on the sea near 

 Gibraltar, early in May, no doubt passing northward. In the month of April I have observed 

 many hundreds on the lakes of Has Dowra, in Marocco, between Rabat and Larache, and have also 

 seen them exposed for sale in Tangiers in that month. They move at dusk in small flocks, flying 

 very low, and in their flight they somewhat resemble the female Pintail. I have eaten them, and 

 the flesh of those which I tasted was very good. I give you the notes of the late M. Favier as to 

 their habits in the vicinity of Tangiers, as follows : — ' Add to Temminck's notice of this Duck 

 that the feathers on the crown of the male form a sort of short crest capable of erection. In 

 length they measure from 431 to 474 millimetres, and in extent 690 to 734 millimetres. This 

 species occurs in the environs of Tangiers on its double passage, passing over to Europe in March 

 and April, and returning in October to spend the winter in the interior of Africa. Some few 

 remain to breed in this vicinity ; and these are the first to leave. They feed on winged insects, 

 chiefly Myrmelion barbarum. They place their nests in rushes, and lay in May and June, the 

 full complement of eggs being from four to ten (!). These eggs are more or less elongated, and 

 measure 148 to 159 millimetres in circumference. Incubation lasts from twenty-five to twenty- 

 seven days. After the Common Teal this species is the most plentiful Duck with us. They 

 migrate in large flocks ; but their passage in the vicinity of Tangiers appears to be irregular^ as 



